Coronary+Heart+Disease

[|http://www.americanheart.org] Coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease, affects about 14 million men and women in the United States. Disease develops when a combination of fatty material, calcium, and scar tissue (plaque) builds up in the arteries that supply the heart with blood. Through these arteries, called the coronary arteries, the heart muscle (myocardium) gets the oxygen and other nutrients it needs to pump blood. //**High Blood Pressure-**// When blood pressure increases it causes the heart to thicken and become stiffer. Your risk of stroke, heart attacks, kidney failure, and congestive heart failure. When obesity, smoking, high blood cholesterol levels or diabetes exits with high blodd pressure, tthe risks of heart attacks and strokes increases several times.
 * //__Coronary Heart Disease__//**
 * What is Coronary Heart Disease?**
 * What are the risk factors that can not be changed?**
 * //Increased Age//-** Over 80% of people die from Coronary Heart Disease who are 65 years of age or older. Women who have heart attacks are more likely to die within weeks than men do at older ages.
 * //Male Gender//-** Males have greater risks of heart attacks in earlier life than women do. When womens' death rate from heart disese increases, even after menupause, it's not so great as men.
 * //Heredity Including Race//-** Parents with heart disease are most likely to pass it down to their children. Heart disease risk is high among Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans. African Americans have more severe high blood pressure and a higher risk of heart disease. This is due to obesity and diabetes. Therefore, it's even more important to treat and control any other risk factors you have.
 * __What are the major risk factors you can treat or control by changing your lifestyle or taking medicine?__**
 * //Tobacco Smoke-//** Smokers risk CHD **2-4** times that of nonsmokers. Cigarette greatly increase the risk of CHD. Cigars or pipes have a higher risk of death from CHD but their risk isn't as great as cigarette smokers'. Exposure to other people's smoke increases the risk of heart disease even for nonsmokers.
 * //High Blood Cholesterol-//** As blood cholesterol rises, the risk of CHD rises. When other risk factors are present, this risk increases even more. A person's cholesterol level is also affected by age, sex, heredity and diet.
 * //Physical Inactivity-//** Regular physical activity helps prevent CHD. Physical activity can help control blood cholesterol, diabetes and obesity, as well as help lower blood pressure in some people.
 * //Obesity and Overweight-//** People who are excess to body fat are more likly to get a heart disease even if they do not have the symptoms. Excess weight increases the heart's work, it also raises blood pressure, blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and lowers HDL cholesterol levels. Many obese and overweight people may have difficulty losing weight. But by losing even as few as 10 pounds, you can lower your heart disease risk.
 * //Diabetes Mellitus-//** Diabetes seriously increase the risk of CHD. Even if your blood sugar is under controlled you still have risks of CHD but the risks are even greater if the blood sugar is not controlled. Some people die with diabetes from heart or blood vessel disease. It's extremely important to work with your healthcare provider to manage it and control any other risk factors you can.

//Coronary Heart Disease Symptoms//

Cardiac arrest commonly occurs in people who have had previous heart attacks, but it may occur as the first symptom of heart disease. Most people exhibit some symptom or discomfort. Symptoms usually occur during exercise or activity because the heart muscle's increased demand for nutrients and oxygen is not being met by the blocked coronary blood vessel. -Chest pain on exertion which may be relieved by rest -Shortness of breath on exertion -Jaw pain, back pain, or arm pain, especially on left side, either during exertion or at rest -Palpitations (a sensation of rapid or very strong heart beats in your chest) -Dizziness, light-headedness, or fainting -Weakness on exertion or at rest -Irregular heartbeat Treatment aims to balance blood supply to the heart with heart oxygen demand, and prevent worsening of coronary heart disease. -It reduces the chance that a clot will form over a rupturing plaque in the coronary artery, a common underlying phenomenon in heart attack (myocardial infarction). -Side effects of aspirin include ulcers or bleeding problems. -Talk to your health care provider before starting aspirin.
 * //More common symptoms of coronary heart disease include the following. No one person usually has all of these symptoms.//**
 * //Medical Treatment for CHD//**
 * Aspirin: When taken daily or every other day, aspirin reduces the risk of developing angina or heart attack by reducing the tendency of your blood to clot.
 * Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers decrease your heart rate and blood pressure, thus reducing your heart’s demand for oxygen. Clinical trials have shown prevention of future heart attacks and sudden death.